Prepare for germ warfare (NorthJersey.com) Domestic life in 2006 is under attack. And the housewares industry is arming us to fight back against the fear factor. "It's getting scarier out there for a lot of people. [News Source]

Experts to Pool Ideas on Response to vCJD (RedNova) By Ian Johnston Science Correspondent EXPERTS will meet today to discuss how to treat about 4,000 apparently healthy people told they are "at risk" of getting the deadly human form of mad cow disease. [News Source]

Japan to decide next week on US beef (Channel NewsAsia) TOKYO : Japan will decide next week on when to remove a ban on US beef imports imposed over fears of made cow disease. Lifting the embargo would remove a major obstacle in relations with the United States before Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visits Washington later this month. [News Source]

Japan to decide next week on US beef (TODAYonline) Japanese customers check meat packs at a Tokyo supermarket in May 2006. Japan will decide next week on when to remove a ban on US beef imports imposed over fears of made cow disease. [News Source]

Japan to decide next week on US beef (AFP via Yahoo! UK & Ireland Finance) Japan will decide next week on when to remove a ban on US beef imports imposed over fears of made cow disease. [News Source]

USDA chief pushes animal ID program (Iowa Farmer) DES MOINES -- Strong hog prices usually result in a strong show, and Neil Dierks says this year’s 18th annual World Pork Expo was no exception. “Attendance was a little larger than last year, and obviously attitudes were very positive,” says Dierks, CEO of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). [News Source]

Meritage Hires Investment Banker for Possible Going Private Transaction (Market Wire via Yahoo! Finance) Meritage Hospitality Group Inc., the nation's only publicly traded Wendy's franchisee and the first O'Charley's franchisee, announced that it has engaged Donnelly Penman & Partners to act as the exclusive financial advisor to the Board of Directors in connection with a possible deregistering transaction. In April, the Company reported that it was resuming its investigation of a deregistering [News Source]

Horse, woman gallop toward common goal (The Auburn Citizen) SKANEATELES - People are starting to recognize Heather Evans and her horse, Tux, as they ride through town. The two set out on a journey May 21 to Manitoba, Canada, from Chichester, N.H., to raise awareness - and dollars - to address the plight of some mares in Canada, known as Premarin horses. [News Source]

Japan Hopes To Send Report On Beef Safety To US Next Week (CattleNetwork.com) TOKYO (AP)-- Japan hopes to send Washington a report next week on public hearings held on the safety of U.S. beef, which remains banned after one American shipment violated import restrictions, the country's farm minister said Friday. [News Source]

Genesis Bioventures Signs Exclusive Agreement to Commercialize Mad Cow Disease Rapid Test in Pacific Rim (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance) Genesis Bioventures, Inc. today announced that it has granted an exclusive license to Bio Business Development Company to commercialize the Rapid Prion Detection Assays in eighteen countries of the Pacific Rim. [News Source]